Sled Dog Mail Run returns to Seguin on February 25

The Seguin Sled Dog Mail Run is happening Saturday, February 25, offering mushers and the community a day of family-friendly, wintery fun.

“We are delighted to bring the event back in full swing this year,” says Seguin Township’s Director of Community Services Dominique O’Brien. The 2021 and 2022 versions of the event were more scaled-back celebrations due to the pandemic. “We have 12 fabulous teams joining us to run the trails and lots of activities for our guests.”

The event is open to all. Festivities will kick off at 8:00am with a pancake breakfast at Humphrey Community Centre. Opening ceremonies will start at 9:45am. There will be vendors, demos, activities and, of course, some very excited sled dog teams ready to run the 17 kilometres of trail through the forest and over frozen lakes.

Musher Rebecca Haase is bringing her huskies north from Buffalo, New York and is thrilled to join the tradition for her second consecutive year. “Getting to be out on this beautiful trail with my best friends exploring the lakes and forests of Ontario is the most amazing thing I’ve been privileged to do in mushing.”

Crowds gather at the start, end and along the route to watch the run and cheer on the teams. The event wraps in the village of Rosseau with a lunch, bonfire and free sled dog rides for visitors.

ABOUT THE MAIL RUN
The Seguin Sled Dog Mail Run is a non-competitive event that has been running for 38 years. It invites mushers from across the province, and often from the United States, to pay tribute to Siberian Huskies and the days when mail was regularly delivered by sled dogs. Leading up to the event, pre-stamped, commemorative "sledvelopes" are purchased by guests and members of the community to send to loved ones. Several “sledvelopes” are donated to local schools as well. Each “sledvelope” contains a letter about the tradition. People often add a personalized note to the package. On the morning of the event, these “sledvelopes” are loaded into mail bags and onto the sleds. The mushers and their dogs then take off on 17 kilometres of wooded trails and over frozen lakes, from Humphrey to Rosseau in Seguin Township. The "sledvelopes" are then hand-stamped by Canada Post and distributed all over the world!